INFORMATION AND CONSULTATION DAY
for Older people and Carers

WORKSHOP 2

15 Participants

Title: “The NHS is changing at the moment - What health services do you find most beneficial, most worrying, most supportive, most effective and inclusive?”

ISSUES RAISED

Information - see Workshop 1

Most worrying/disturbing:

Hospitals
Cancelled operations once in hospital and all arrangements have been made at home
Being starved pre-op (especially if operation then cancelled)
Distress caused for patient and partner
Finding someone in the ward to talk to
No nursing care - very technical
Patients not always washed daily
Patients being sent home with bed sores
Mixed wards - especially when getting better (can be fun... - for the few!)
Waiting
    Waiting for doctors to give information because nurses not allowed to do it.
    Waiting lists too long
    Waiting time in hospital and waiting rooms for the actual appointment
Older people in hospital too long - no one to care at home
Assessment – admission and discharge
Shorter hospital stays - not always ready to go home
Who are the staff?
    Names printed too small to see
    Don't understand the uniforms
Appointments - suitable times
Parking - missed appointments – (sometimes due to medical staff not arriving)

Food in hospital
Cold
Badly presented
Limited choice for older people
Not being able to reach food – hungry

GP/Surgeries
Getting GP appointments
Waiting in the surgery to see the GP
Home visits delays and discouragement
Times of surgery opening and appointments available
Name-tags too small
Who do you see in the surgery and for what?

General
Closure of nursing homes (funding, politics - vicious circle)
Staff - concerns about staff
Staff have their own pressures
Staff too busy.
Staff money not good enough

Most beneficial/effective
Cardio-thoracic Unit at SGH - fantastic
Cancer care at RSH - fantastic
Breast Care in Winchester and Andover - excellent
Caring staff from Andover
Waiting time in Princess Anne Out Patients is low. Appointments are generally on time or within 15 minutes – explanation given if running late
Food – good – but some wards are better than others
All day visiting
Good follow-up care e.g. dietician
Day surgery – excellent idea

District Nurse day after going home (appropriate referral or not) – visit welcome. Referral assessments are not consistent, some people get a visit who do not need one, others do not get a visit who do need one – needs better assessment from the ward - two way co-operation.
Regular planned visiting at home by nurses - able to get advice, information etc. ceases because they have to close case.

Ideas
Hospital carers to help feed patients - volunteers
Not too many managers – shouldn't be too many

Failed appointments
Telephone reminders would be helpful
Parking problems - availability
Couldn't get there – transport, other responsibilities
Forgot appointment – memory loss, too many concerns
Inappropriate appointment – already been seen by different specialist
Personal circumstances have changed – in hospital, loss of close relative

Hospital chasing people who have already had operation – they need good records

Look after doctors and nurses

Seeing nurse at GP practice first - may just need advice – particularly children – could be referred to GP if necessary
Who’s who in clear print in prominent place
Who to contact for what
Treat as customers of the service